This invention relates to loading ramps for conveying passengers to and from aircraft. More particularly, this invention relates to a loading bridge extender for conveying passengers to and from commuter aircraft from existing prior art loading bridges.
Covered mobile loading bridges for aircraft, sometimes called jet loaders, have been well known in the prior art. These devices generally comprise a terminal end portion secured to the airport terminal, an elongated mid portion, and an outer vestibule portion. The entire apparatus is elevated and is supported by a mobile undercarriage. These loading bridges provide a mobile walkway from an access door of an airport terminal to the access door of an aircraft. By virtue of the mobility of the apparatus, it can be aligned with the aircraft door of a parked aircraft. Generally, as the aircraft taxies to a stop at a desired location, the loading bridge is extended and adjusted to align both vertically and horizontally with the aircraft door so that passengers can step from the aircraft onto the loading bridge and walk through the loading bridge to the aircraft terminal. Since the entire bridge is covered, passengers are protected from inclement weather.
With the growing popularity of the hub concept for airlines, the use of commuter aircraft for travel from secondary airports to major airports has become common. Such commuter aircraft generally are smaller than large jet aircraft and carry fewer passengers. However, since commuter aircraft are smaller, conventional loading bridges cannot be horizontally aligned with the doors of commuter aircraft because the commuter aircraft access doors are too low. Accordingly, it has become common practice, in loading commuter aircraft to have the passengers descend a stairway inside the airport terminal, then to exit at ground level from the terminal and to walk across the tarmac to the commuter aircraft. By means of this loading method, for reasons of safety and because of airport regulations, it is possible to load or unload only a single commuter aircraft at a time from a single airport terminal exit door.
Due to this arrangement, the turn around time for unloading and loading a commuter aircraft after arrival at an airport terminal is much longer than desired. It is estimated that the time for the unloading and loading cycle for a commuter aircraft at major airports is approximately forty-five (45) minutes. The loading and unloading time increases the down time of aircraft and therefore adds substantially to the operating cost of airlines.
Conventional loading bridges generally also include an external, uncovered stairway which is utilized primarily by maintenance personnel for access to the loading bridge and to aircraft. Conventionally these stairways have metal treads with a diamond pattern therein to prevent slippage for maintenance personnel who may have oily shoes from working around aircraft. However, such stairs are not designed for general access to aircraft by passengers and would be unsuitable for that purpose. Generally the stairways are narrow, and furthermore the treads of such stairways would interfere with the high heels of female passengers.
Another problem with the above described method of conveying passengers to and from commuter aircraft is that the passengers are subjected to inclement weather such as rainy or stormy weather, which is of course undesirable.
It is therefore desired to provide an apparatus for safely, quickly, and efficiently loading and unloading commuter aircraft.
It is also desired to provide such as apparatus which can be utilized with existing loading bridges.
Furthermore, it is desired to provide an apparatus for simultaneously loading two or more commuter aircraft from a single airport terminal loading bridge.
Lastly, it is desired to provide a covered apparatus for conveying passengers to and from commuter aircraft to protect the passengers from inclement weather.